Collar or neckband support



June 11, 1940.

.1. w. STEELE COLLAR OR NECKBAND SUPPORT Filed Oct. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR /24 Jzee/e,

BY z E 2 ATLTORNEY June 11, 1940.

J. W. STEELE COLLAR OR NECKBA ND SUPPORT Filed Oct. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented June ll, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEC E COLLAR R ,NEC'KBAND SUPPORT JamesW; Steele, North Kansas City, Mo. Application October 17, 1938,Serial No. 235,435

p Claims. (Cl. 223-983) The present invcntionrelates to-ga-rmentiaccessory devices for use in garment-finishing loperations for the purpose of maintaining acertain portion of the, garmentpsuch as a collar or neckbandportion; in correct finished, relation, as by supporting and thereby reinforcing the part in propergposition during as well asafterthefinishing operation. the invention relates to supporting, devices for use in the finishing of shirts or like garments where suitable supporting or reinforcing means is desirablefor: preserving the finished condition *ofuthe neckbandor-collar of the shirt in such finishing operations.

Accordingly theprimary purpose of my invention, is to provide novel collar or neckband sup porting devices adapted tobe constructed of inexpensive cardboard orsimilar flexible material,

andadapted toeffectively hold the meeting end portions of the collar or neckband and also pro vide an efficient support for bracing theyfront and side portions of the collar or neckband, and thus preserve the proper shape thereof in the subsequent handling of the garment.

Incarrying out these general purposes of the invention, it is also sought to provide a device which may be conveniently manipulated for insertion into operative position within the collar or neckband of the shirt and also adaptedfor construction to meet the requirements for either a button, or for merely buttonholes at the front meeting ends of the collar portion of thegarment. For this purpose the invention comprises means adapted to automatically adapt itself for retaining engagement with the side portions of the collar or neckband and also means for fastening the front end portions thereof by engagement with either buttonholes in tions or with a button carried by said end portions, as in the case ofthe conventional shirt using a permanent button for fastening the ends of the collar.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference a to the accompanying drawings illustrating prac tical forms of embodiment of the improvements for carrying out these various purposes, after,

which those features and combinations deemed to be both novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

Inthe drawings i i i Figure 1 is a perspective view of a neckband typeof shirt having the improved device mounted inroperative relation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the sup- More particularly, therefore,

said end porsupporting porting device as stamped from'cardboard mayterial and before being applied to the garment;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of one end of the supporting device, and illustrating one of the hinged retaining tabs bent into operative position;

, Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to- Figures 1 and 2 respectively, illustrating an alternative form of construction, adapted for fastening the front ends of the neckband portion ofthe garment by buttoning over a fastening button at said ends of the neckb and;

Figure, 6 is a perspective View similar to Figure 1, showing a form of supporting device adapted for buttoning engagement with a button at the front; ends of the collar of a collar-attached shirt;

t Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail of the tab portion of the device illustrated in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a shirt il1us trating another modified form of construction of the device, of curved outline;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the' means for directly fastening the front ends of the collar; and H Figure 14 is a fragmentary perspective View of a collar-attached shirt illustrating the strip or band portion of the device inserted between the folds of the collar and its tab portion folded over for buttoning engagement with the stud sometimes used for temporarily fastening the meeting ends of the collar.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and

more particularly to the device as it is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the same comprises a strip or band of flexible supporting material adapted to upper edge It which may be slightly curved at its mid-portion, as represented in Figures 2 and 3.,

The length of the strip is sufficient to extend to ,be stamped from a suitable grade of cardboard, to provide the main body strip M having the bottom approximately straight edge l5 and the finished collar or neckband ll of a shirt or like garment l8, when inserted. into operative o-r collar-supporting position as illustrated in Figure 1. In stamping the device, its upper edge It is provided with a tab element 19 in position for folding over the front meeting and overlapping ends of the neckband I1, and the outer edge of said tab element is further formed with a dart extension 20 having a laterally projecting point 2|, the purpose of which is to project through the buttonholes 22 at the front ends of the collar or neckband l1 (see Figure 9), which are thereby retained in fastened relation by means of said extension threading through said buttonholes and also by the cooperative engagement of the dart point 2| and the shoulderprovided-by-the adjacent edge portion of the tab I9. v When the supporting device is out with straight bottom edges as shown in Figure 2, there a tendency of the ends of the strip to spring up in the collar or ne'ckband opening after being injsertedin "place; and to overcomethis I stamp each end of the device with a pivotal or hinge tab element 24having the hinge or score line and also an'extension or'tail piece 26 projecting below the edge iii of the strip'or band I4. "I'he construction'is suchthat onengagement of the tail extensions 26 with the-shirt inside the collar opening, the tabs are automatically swung from the vertical position shownin'Figure 2 to the horizontal position illustrated in Figures l and 3, or into just that positionnecessa'ry for adapting the tabs" 24 to be projected laterally outward beneaththe neckband lTinto proper retaining en- "gagementtherewith, as seen in Figure 1. lhe 'operation'and use of'the device will be readily understood from the foregoing in the lightflof thedrawings," the operatorbeing simply required to project the dart extension '20 through the' matched buttonholes 2 2 in such fashion-*as tdbring the dart-point 2| into retaining engagement Withthe inside of the neckband,

after which the operator folds the main body -portion'of= the band or strip M- over to'the interior of the collar opening. In this way the dartexten'sion "2'0 holds the overlapping front ends of the neckband togethezg and in thisrela- 't'ion'th'ey are clamped by "the tab |9 agains't'the "adjacent inn'erportion of -the -strip-| 4. In the folding of the-*strip'l 4 over inside the collar opening it is of course bowed sufficiently to be proje'cted into the interior of the collar opening, and as the ends of the device are released at the same time 'asthey'are engaged 'with'the body of "the -"shirt" inside said collar opening, the tailpieces 2|;

of thehinge tabs 2 are operated to pivot the tabs about their hinge or score lines '25,thereby -resulting in the tabs'24 coming into horizontal position and facilitating their movement outwardly'beneath the sides of the collar opening, asfshown' in "Figure 1 1.

Referring to Figures 4'and 5,these views illus- "trate-a form of construction in which the improved device is provided with) a tab I9 for'fold- -ing over the front'ends ofa collar neckba'nd, but -in place ofan-extensionfor threading through 'the buttonholes 22, this tab I9 is formed with intersectingslits 28 to serve as means forb'uttoning over theend ofthe fastening stud 32 ordinarily inserted by the laundry for fastening the ends of the collar or neckband, as is "illustrated in"l=igure 4.

'in liigures c'and 7 the deviceis illustrated as adapted 'for use' with a collar-attachedshirt hav- 5 ing the meeting erfds of its collar portion '3 provided with the usual permanently attached fastening button 30. For attaching engagement with this button 30, this form of the support is provided with a relatively narrow extension 20' from the tab element I9"; and instead of the dart shown in Figure 2, said extension 20' is formed with an open-ended slot 21 for forked engagement with the button 30, as clearly represented in Figure 6.

In-Figures8to 12 of the drawings, the supporting device is illustrated as constructed with a curved type of bracing or supporting strip M having the upper and lower curved edges l5, IS,

in which form the ends of the supporting device do not have the tendency to spring up out of the collar opening, as referred to in connection with the device as already described; consequently the tabs 24 may be dispensed with in this form of the support.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 8 to 10'the featureof the front tab element I9 is also omitted, but the feature of the dart-extension is retained, this comprising simply the shank por- 'tion 20 anddart-point 2| adapted for insertion through the 'buttonholes 22 of the shirt I8. In assembled relation the stripl4 assumes a position approximately as illustrated in the sectional view shown in Figure 9.

Figures 11 and 12 simplyillustrate the same curved support construction as just referredto, but including the feature of'the tab element IQ of the form of the device shown inFigures 1 to 6, Figure 12 showing the dart extension as formed with a single dart-point whereas Figu're'llshows the dart extension as provided with double darteasily inserted into operative position within the collar or neckband opening, and may in some "classes of work be found to answer all the requirements without either the front tab feature or'the fastening means at the front of the collar, and particularly where such fastening means is already present as shown in Figures 4 to 6. In this form of the device, as well as that illustrated 'in Figures 6 to 9, it is contemplated that the upper edge of the supporting strip or band will project far enough above the edge of the collar or neckband to provide a guarding or shielding edge for suitably protecting the upper margin of the finished collar or neckband.

In Figure lithe device is shown as adapted for a slightly'different mode of use, the modified construction providing the strip or band M with a relatively narrow extension 20 having the intersecting slits 28"similar to the tab IQ of Figures 4 and 5. In theuse of this form, the strip or carrying out all the aforesaid objects of the invention, including the provision in a compact and inexpensive supporting device-of meansfor 2,204,004 engaging and fastening the front ends of the collar or neckband as well as embracing said ends in overlapping relation by means of a neat and attractive tab element which dresses this most prominent portion of the finished shirt;

and also an automatically acting retaining means i very economical and cheap construction by being stamped in quantity production from inexpensive sheet material such as cardboard or the like.

While I have illustrated what I now regard as constituting preferred forms of construction for embodying the proposed features of improve- .ment, it is of course apparent that various minor Patent is:

l. A collar or neckband supporting device commodifications are possible, varying from the forms illustrated herein; and I therefore desire to be understood as reserving the right to make such modifications or changes as may fairly be deemed to fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters prising a supporting member embracingthe in ner or neck engaging face of the collar opening of a garment, the lower edge of said supporting member being provided with a hinge tab extending to one side of its hinge line for engaging be neath the collar or neckband and having an extension projecting beyond and to the opposite side of said hinge line for actuating the tab into horizontal or operative position.

.2. A device of the character described comprising a supporting member embracing the inner or neck-engaging face of the collar'or neckband surrounding the collar opening of a garment, the upper edge of said supporting member being. formed with a tab folding over the front overlapping ends of the collar or neckband and formed with means for fastening said front ends in said overlapping relation, and the lower e'dge v of said supporting member having one or more hinge tabs for engaging beneath the collar or neckband and formed with extensions projecting out beyond the hinge lines of the tabs for actuating said tabs into horizontal or operative position.

3. A collar supporting device for collar-attachedgarments comprising a band or strip of flexible material embracing the inner or neckengaging face of the inner fold of the collar portion of the garment, the upper edge of said strip being formed with an extension folding over the front overlapping ends of the neckband of said collar portion and having meansfor positively engaging and securing said ends in said overlapping relation, said extension being formed with tab elements connected continuously along their upper edges to said band or strip and projecting laterally over the adjacent front ends of the outer fold of said collar portionfor holding the same clamped against said inner fold of said collar portion of the garment.

4. A collar supporting device for collar-attached garments comprising a band or strip of flexible material embracing the inner or neckengaging face of the inner fold of the collar portion of the garment, the upper edge of said strip being formed with an extension folding over the front overlapping ends of the neckband of said collar portion and terminating in a dart portion projecting, through said overlapping ends and having a laterally extending shoulder portion for retaining said ends in their overlappingrelation, said-extension being also formed with tab ele-. ments projecting laterally over the adjacent front ends of the outer fold of said collar portion for holding the same clamped against said inner fold of said garment collar portion.

5. A collar supporting device for collar-attached garments, comprising a band or strip of flexible material embracing the inner neck-engaging face of the inner fold of the collar portion of the garment, the upper edge of said band or strip being formed with an extension folding over the front overlapping ends of the neckband of said collar portion and having means projecting through said ends for securing the same in said overlapping relation, said extension being also formed with integral tab elements connected throughout their length with said upper edge of the band or strip and projecting laterally over the adjacent front ends of the outer fold of said collar portion and thereby clamping the same firmly against the inner fold of said garment collar portion.

JAMES W. STEELE. 

